Automatic whistle.



G. R. DUNN.

AUTOMATIC WHISTLE. 'APPLIUATION FILED Nov. ze, 1913.

Patented June 2, 1914.

l ma iii/Mv ii Z Z6 f f IN VEN TOI? @EaFeE/z//wg QPIIESSES e auf@ @5% mom/frs GEORGE Rl. DUNN, OF `IEIiKI-IARMT, INDIANA.

AUTOMATIC WHISTLE.

Specication of LettersPatent.

Patented June 2, 1914.

Application filed November 26, 191,3. `Serial No. 803,274.

`track for operating the whistle independently of any attention on the engineei"s part. A further object of my invention is to provide means for automatically operating a whistle which may be disposed at predetermined points, so as to insure the sounding of the whistle at these points.

Otherobjects andadvantages will appear inthe following .specification and the novel features of the device `will be particularly `pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accomlpanying drawings forming part ofthis application in which- Figure 1 is a side viewiof the device, certain parts being shown in section, and Fig. 2 is a section alongthe line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

,looking in the direction of the arrows.

In carrying out my invention I provide a whistle 1 of any .suitable form which is connected to a steam pipe 2. The latter' is threaded into a valve `casing 3 having a slidable valve 4, which is provided with an opening 5, arranged to register with the end of the pipe 2 and also with the end of a pipe 6, which leads to the boiler (not shown). The valve i is provided with a stem which extends downwardly, as shown in Fig. 1, and bears on the end of an arm 7 which is pivoted at 8 and which bears a roller 9. The vah c stem is provided with a spring which bears at one end on the lower part of the valve casing 3 and at the other end on the arm 7.

Disposed below the arm 7 and mounted on any suitable portion of the engine 11 is a shaft 12, which bears a cam wheel 13 h aving a series of raised cam surfaces 14 separated by recesses or depressions 15. The shaft 12 also bears a ratchet wheel 16 which is designed to be actuated by means of a pawl 17 pivotally carried upon an arm 18,

which is itself pivoted at 19. A spring 20 normally presses the pawl against the ratchet teeth. A locking dog 21 engages theratchet teeth and is held in its locking position by means of a spring 22. The arm 16 bears an extension 16X on its lower Side.

,Disposed along the track at various points where it is designed to effect the automatic whistling are arches such asthoseshown at 23. These consist preferably of curved steel or iron bands whose ends rest upon the ties 2/1 just outsideof the rails 25. These are held to the ties by any suitable fastening means suchas bolts 2G, and, as shown in the "drawing,project slightly `above the rails25.

Secured ,to a pivot rod 27 carried by the engine is a lever 28 whoseV lower end projects downwardly `past one side of the rail 3, this lever 28 being in alinement with the arches 23, as shown in Fig. 2. The upper ,part of the lever bears a contact roller 29,

opposite sides when the latter is in contact with the arch.

Frein the foregoing description ofthe various parts of the device the operation thereof may be readily understood.

The arches 23, as stated above, are placed at points where it is designed to effect the automatic whistling. Vhen the train reaches this point the lower end of the lever 28 engages the inclined portion of the arch. If the train is proceeding from right to left, as shown in Fig. 1 the engagement of the lower end of the lever 28 with the arch 23 will tend to turn the lever on its pivot 27, so that the roller 29 will ride out from under the extension 16x, whereupon the spring 33 will draw the arm 16 downwardly so as to retract the pawl 17 one tooth. New when the lower end of the lever has passed the arch the stretched spring 3() will cause the lever 28 to assume its normal position, thereby forcing up the arm 16 through the pressure of the roller 29 against the exten sion 16X. This will cause the ratchet wheel to turn, thereby turning the cam wheel 13 with it. The latter will force the arms 7 upwardly through pressure on the roller 9 which will carry the valve 4 upwardly against the tension of the spring l0, so as to cause the opening 5 to bring the pipes 6 and 2 into communication. Steam will then pass from the boiler through pipe 6, opening 5 and pipe 2, into the whistle l, thereby sounding the latter. he engineer may shut off the whistle by manually raising the arm 18, and thus causing the cam wheel 13 to turn so as to let the roller 9 now rest in a depression 15, thus causing the valve stem to lower through the tension of the spring l0, so as to bring the port 5 out of registration with the pipes G and Q.. It will be obvious that when the lever 28 strikes another arch the ratchet wheel will be given one turn so as to start the whistle going in the manner described.

The device consists of comparatively few parts, and is therefore not liable to easily get out of order. A further advantage is due to the fact that the whistle is easily shut off, but will continue to blow until it is shut olif manually or until the lever 27 engages another trip 23. Thus the whistling is automatically effected regardless of whether the engineer pulls the whistle cord at the proper time or not.

It will be noted that the movement of the valve i is not effected directly by motion communicated through the trip arch 23. llhe latter merely sets the device so that when the lever has left the arch, the springs 30 or 3l may cause the shifting of the valve. There is therefore no danger of breaking the valve or the valve casing by an undue movement of the valve as might be the case if the impact of the lever 28 upon the arch 23 were transmitted directly to the valve. This feature l consider one of the important parts of my invention.

I claim:

l. In an automatic whistling device for engines, a whistle, a steam pipe connected Copies of this patent may be obtained for thereto, a valve disposed in said steam pipe, a trip disposed along the track, a lever carried by the engine and arranged to be engaged by the trip, springs for holding said lever in its normal position, means actuated bv the return of the lever to its normal position after passing the trip for operating the valve in the steam pipe, said last named means comprising a pair of pivoted arms, one of said arms being provided with a cam roller and the other of said arms being provided with an extension, a roller carried by said lever and arranged to engage said extension, a shaft, a cam wheel and a ratchet wheel carried by said shaft, said cam wheel being arranged to engage said roller, and a pawl mounted on one of said pivoted arms and arranged to engage said ratchet.

2. In an automatic whistling device, a whistle, a steam pipe, a valve casing connected with said steam pipe, a slidable valve within said casing, an arm pivotally mounted at one end and arranged to be engaged by a portion of said valve, a spring for pressing said valve against said arm, a cam roller carried by said arm, a stub shaft, a cam wheel carried by said stub shaft, said cam wheel having alternate raised and depressed portions arranged to be engaged iby said roller, a ratchet carried by said stub shaft, a second pivoted arm, a pawl carried by said second pivoted arm for engaging said ratchet, said second pivoted arm having a semicircular extension on its lower side, a lever disposed underneath said semicircular extension and provided with a presser roller arranged to engage said extension, opposed springs for holding said lever in a vertical position, and an arch-shaped trip disposed along the track in position to be engaged by the lower end of the vertically disposed lever.

GEORGE R. DUNN. lVitnesses:

HARRY WITTER, ANDREW J. FILBERT.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

